MANILA — Macau Black Knights kept their playoff hopes alive in dramatic fashion, outlasting Blackwater Bossing, 123-119, in a high-scoring duel in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Clinging to a slim deficit in the closing minute, Macau delivered under pressure as Damian Chongqui drained a clutch triple before Jenning Leung scored inside to swing the momentum for good, completing a late-game surge that secured only their second win of the conference.
Down 115-116 after a basket by Bossing’s Bradwyn Guinto, the Black Knights got a triple from Chongqui and an inside hit from Leung to take a 120-117 lead.
The Bossing cut it to 119-120 with a layup from Bryan Andrade, but the Black Knights increased their lead to four points with free throws from Leung and Xingzhao Chao.
Leung finished with 30 points, including four three-pointers, to go with eight rebounds and eight assists to be named Player of the Game as the Black Knights kept their playoffs hopes alive with a 2-8 mark, tying the Bossing.
Chongqui also ended up with 30 markers, Ramon Cao posted a double-double of 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Tony Mitchell Jr. and Phoenix Shackleford tallied 11 apiece for Macau.
Paul Zamar and Christian David led the Bossing with 21 points apiece, Sedrick Barefield added 18 markers, David Murrell and Cyrus Austria tallied 14 apiece and Andrade contributed 12 markers.
In the nightcap, San Miguel Beermen staged a second-half turnaround to defeat Meralco Bolts, 103-92, boosting their record to an even 5-5.
After trailing by as many as 17 points early, the Beermen unleashed a dominant third-quarter run anchored on June Mar Fajardo and Celedonio Trollano to seize a 77-71 advantage.
San Miguel maintained control in the fourth quarter, stretching the lead to double digits before fending off a late Meralco rally that cut the gap to 92-96. Free throws by Bennie Boatwright and Fajardo sealed the victory.
Fajardo powered the Beermen with a double-double of 19 points and 17 rebounds, while Boatwright and Trollano added 16 points each. Jaymar Perez and Moala Tautuaa chipped in 14 and 12, respectively.
Marvin Jones paced the Bolts with 26 points, Chris Newsome contributed 18, while CJ Cansino and Chris Banchero scored 12 each as Meralco slipped to 5-3./PN
